- May 3, 2025
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Luncheon: Peter Rothstein, Asolo Repertory Theatre
11 a.m. at Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd.
$45-$50
Visit ArtsAdvocates.org.
Arts Advocates presents a luncheon talk with Asolo Repertory Theatre Producing Artistic Director Peter Rothstein. After 25 years as founding artistic director of Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis, Rothstein joined Asolo Rep in 2023, where he has directed “Man of La Mancha,” “Sweeney Todd” and “All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914,” which he created.
Sailor Circus Red Troupe: Victorious!
7 p.m. at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St.
$20-$40
Visit CircusArts.org.
Founded in 1949, the Sailor Circus Academy is the longest-running youth circus arts training program in the country, training students in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Set to a soundtrack of power ballads and rock anthems, this show features over 50 Sailor Circus students performing on the Russian swing, trampoline wall, acrobatic roller skates, bicycle for five, duo straps and the flying trapeze, to name just a few of the circus arts represented. Plus, there will be clowns! Runs through April 19.
‘The Winter’s Tale’
7 p.m. at FSU Center for the Performing Arts, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail.
$25-$40
Visit AsoloRep.org.
Is Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale," FSU/Asolo Conservatory’s latest production, a tragedy or a comedy? It's both. The first half is a tragedy driven by jealousy, while the second half is a pastoral romance full of music and comedy that ends on a note of redemption. Runs through April 27.
La Musica Chamber Festival: Barber, Bloch, Fauré
7 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave.
$64
Visit LaMusicaFestival.org.
This is the last of three concerts during La Musica's annual chamber music festival. The program features La Musica artistic director Wu Han and Orion Weiss on piano, Aaron Boyd and Kristin Lee on violin, Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt on viola and Dmitri Atapine on cello. They will perform Barber’s Souvenirs for Piano, Four Hands, Op. 28, Bloch’s Piano Quintet No. 1 and Fauré’s Piano Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 15.
‘Syncopated Avenue’
7:30 p.m. at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave.
$22-$52
Visit WestcoastBlackTheatre.org.
Known for its homegrown musical revues and performances of plays celebrating African-American stories, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe developed its own original full-fledged musical with “Ruby” in 2024. Now, with “Syncopated Avenue,” the company is producing its first tap dance revue, created, adapted and directed by WBTT founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs. Runs through May 25.
Sarasota Orchestra Pops: Celebrate John Williams
7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
$39-$105
Visit SarasotaOrchestra.org.
Get ready for summer movie blockbuster season with this Pops tribute to famed film score composer John Williams, who won his 26th Grammy Award at the age of 91. Guest conductor Stuart Chafetz leads the Sarasota Orchestra in a program featuring Williams’ music from “Star Wars,” “E.T.,” “Schindler’s List,” “Jaws,” “Close Encounters” and more. Runs through April 19.
‘Dancing at Lughnasa’
7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
$35-$95
Visit AsoloRep.org.
Joe Dowling, the former artistic director of both the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis and the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, directs Brian Friel’s Tony Award-winning play about the five Mundy sisters living in rural Ireland in the 1930s. The play gets its name from the Gaelic word for August, which is the month agrarian folk celebrate after bringing in the crops. Runs through April 19.
‘Good Night, Oscar’
7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail
$35-$95
Visit AsoloRep.org.
Most famous for his role in “An American in Paris," the celebrated pianist and raconteur Oscar Levant has largely been forgotten. Directed by Peter Amster, "Good Night, Oscar" focuses on Levant’s appearance on “Tonight Starring Jack Paar,” where he spoke frankly about his mental health issues. Runs through April 26.
‘No One is Forgotten’
7:30 p.m. at Urbanite Theatre, 1487 Second St.
$5-$44
Visit UrbaniteTheatre.com.
Written by New York playwright Winter Miller and directed by Urbanite Artistic Director Summer Dawn Wallace, “No One is Forgotten” is the moving tale of two female Americans who withstand captivity in a foreign prison through grit, humor and loving solidarity. The tale is based on real-life accounts of American journalists and aid workers imprisoned overseas. Runs through April 27.
‘Into the Woods’
7:30 p.m. at Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Unit 1130
$34
Visit The Players.org.
Fairy tales come to life on the stage in the Sarasota Players production of “Into the Woods,” the 1986 musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine. Directed by Brian Finnerty, this production weaves together the plots of “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Beanstalk" and other childhood staples into an entertaining musical that appeals to theatergoers of all ages. Runs through April 20.
‘Shedding a Skin’
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
$25-$46
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Part of Florida Studio Theatre’s edgy Stage III series, “Shedding a Skin” follows Myah, a young woman whose topsy-turvy life is transformed when she befriends an elderly Jamaican woman. Directed by Nancy Rominger, the award-winning play pays tribute to the power of human connection. Runs through April 25.
The Commodores
8 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
$45-$95
Visit VanWezel.org.
Lionel Ritchie, frontman for the Commodores, departed for a solo career back in 1982, but the beat goes on for one of the great R&B bands of all time. Originally formed in 1968 at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, the Commodores today consists of founding member William King, drummer Walter Orange and vocalist J.D. Nicholas. They continue to perform their greatest hits like “Easy” and “Brick House,” delighting fans old and new.
‘Jersey Boys’
8 p.m. at FST’s Gompertz Theatre, 1265 First St.
$49-$69
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
There are countless imitations, but there is only one “Jersey Boys.” Winner of both the Tony and Olivier awards, the musical tells the true story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, from their humble beginnings in the Garden State to induction into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This isn’t a musical revue; it’s a full-fledged musical directed by Ben Liebert. Runs through May 31.
Comedy Roulette
8:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St.
$15-$18
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Looking to have fun on a Saturday night in Sarasota without breaking the bank? Look no farther than Florida Studio Theatre Improv Troupe. A team of four experienced improvisers deliver a mix of short form, long form and musical improv in the mashup of styles and techniques. Weekends through May 30.
‘George Harrison: A Gardener's Life’
10 a.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens,1534 Mound St.
$28
Visit Selby.org.
"George Harrison: A Gardener's Life" is the ninth installment of the annual Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. Walking around the 15-acre sanctuary on the Sarasota bayfront where gardens and botanical displays have been erected to mirror those in Harrison's Friar Park estate, you can't help feeling that the late Beatle would approve of this living tribute. Runs through June 29.
'Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic and Mediums'
10 a.m. at the John and Mable Ringling Art Museum, 5401 Bay Shore Road
Free with $25 admission; Mondays free
Visit Ringling.org.
Go on the trail of things that go bump in the night with this fascinating interactive exhibition, which follows the growth of Spiritualism in the mid-19th century from its roots in dining room seances to traveling shows featuring magicians and mediums. Along the way, you’ll learn about the opposing views of Houdini and Sherlock Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about the existence of spirits and see an assortment of memorabilia and tools used both to contact spirits and trick audiences.
Behind the Curtain: Exploring the Van Wezel from the Art to the Stage
1:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
$15
Visit ArtsAdvocates.org.
One of the best things about the reopening of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is the revival of tours by Arts Advocates. A docent leads a tour of the paintings and sculptures. Participants then step onto the stage where a Van Wezel guide shares stories and anecdotes. Proceeds from the tour benefit the education/outreach programs of Arts Advocates and the Van Wezel.
‘Power Couple’
4 p.m. at Fischer/Weisenborne Residence, 7459 Cabbage Palm Court
$65
Visit ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.
Artist Series Concerts bills violinist Diana Cohen and pianist Roman Tabinovich as “Power Couple,” and who are we to argue? Cohen serves as the concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic, founder and co-artistic director of the acclaimed ChamberFest Cleveland, and has appeared at festivals worldwide. Tabinovich made his Israel Philharmonic debut at the age of 10 and regularly appears as a soloist with many of the world’s great orchestras. They will play music by Clara Schumann, Schubert, Strauss, and Lutoslawski.
Monday Night Jazz with Michael Ross and Company
7:30 p.m. at Florida Studio Theatre's Court Cabaret, 1265 First St.
$34-$39
Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
Jazz Club of Sarasota presents Sarasota bassist Michael Ross and his bandmates. They’ll play “straight ahead” jazz along with contemporary and original compositions from Ross’ new CD, “Giraffe." A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ross spent his early years being mentored by bassists Cecil McBee, Dee Moses and Jim Miller.
‘Beetlejuice’
7:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail
$50-$135
Visit VanWezel.org.
Based on Tim Burton’s classic film, this musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, a strange teen whose whole life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a devilish character with a penchant for stripes. With its witty book, surprising set and an enchanting score, “Beetlejuice” is familiar and new at the same time — a winning formula for Broadway musicals based on hit films. Runs through April 27.
